A fiery passion for the Lord, a heritage of ministry and an incredible musical talent are what sums up our  choir director, Rita Antonia “Rich” Abante. Hailing from Manila, Philippines where her dad, Congressman Benny Abante, is pastor of an incredible inner city Church, Rich grew up knowing that the Lord’s work is where she is happiest. The Lord saved Rich at the age of 17, and from then on out, it has been evident that the Lord’s hand has guided her every step. Singing since the age of 2 and playing the piano since the age of 6, Rich has sung and played in countless musical events in the Philippines, with a crowd ranging from a hundred to a million people in one gathering. Believing in the power of passing on the gift, Rich also coached elementary and high school vocal ensembles that have won national awards. In 2004, the Lord led Rich to Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA to study Music Therapy. At Berklee, Rich was considered one of the school’s best vocalists, being featured in numerous concerts at the Berklee Performance Center, singing for countless recording sessions, as well as displaying academic excellence in the Music Therapy field by giving lectures and presentations and graduating with honors of Summa Cum Laude. But all these accolades are worthless compared to the joy Rich finds in being a servant of Jesus Christ. “All that I am and all that I will ever be is because of Jesus and who He is in my life.” With fresh excitement and vigor, Rich leads OBC’s worship choir to a musical experience with the purpose of preparing the way of the Word and lifting the name of Jesus Christ.